Standard American defense coming into play.
It isn't my fult - it is someone elses' responsibility.
AT LEAST they used the words "in part"
Truthfully - I think they would fair much better accepting their responsibility and asking for mitigation base on their perfromance records up to the time of this incident. Basically a - "Yes - I messed up defense and I'm willing to take my lumps, but this shouldn't ruin my career after a clean 20,000/11,000 hour and however many years of employment."
IMO.
USMCFLYR